Punt Wins Gold on Day 1 of WAC Outdoor Championship

Rhet Punt stands on the medal stand after winning the hammer throw at the WAC Outdoor Championships on May 14, 2026

Photo by: Western Athletic Conference

Punt Wins Gold on Day 1 of WAC Outdoor Championship

5/15/2026 8:50:00 AM | Track & Field

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By: Don Garrett

ARLINGTON, Texas - The first day of the Western Athletic Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships finished with multiple ACU Wildcats on the medal stand, and several others in great position for the multi-events on Thursday at UT Arlington's Maverick Stadium.

In the men's decathlon, Canaan Fairley finished the first day with a large lead and set personal bests in three events – the long jump (23-1.75/7.05m), shot put (40-7.75/12.39m) and the high jump (6-8.5/2.05m). He also was the top finisher in four events – the 100, long jump, high jump and 400. His total of 4,058 for day one is his best ever for his first day.

In the women's heptathlon, ACU also is in excellent position to score points in the event. Natalie Poe is in 2nd place with 3,169 points, only 28 points out of 1st. She won the 100H in a personal best time of 14.37. Nele Huth is in 3rd place with 3,119 points – in good shape for a podium finish.

In the men's hammer throw, Rhet Punt became the first gold medal winner for the Wildcats at the Championship as he won with a personal best throw of 212-3/64.79m – the #2 best hammer throw in ACU history. Matthew Udemba also finished 7th with a season best throw of 178-6/54.41m and Rylan Smart placed 8th with a throw of 177-7/54.13. After the men's hammer, the first event to be scored at the meet, ACU briefly held the team lead with 13 points. Mariana Van Dyk finished in 3rd place in the women's hammer throw with a personal record toss of 181-2/55.22m that places her #4 in ACU history. In the women's javelin, Avery Myrick, who walked the graduation stage last week, placed 5th with a throw of 127-6/38.88m.

There was only one final running event, the 10K run, which finished late in the evening. Andruw Villa finished in 5th place with a time of 31:07.45, his first time to run in the outdoor season due to nagging injuries. In the women's 10K, Hannah Kasper finished just out of the scoring with an 11th place finish with a time of 39:23.05

There were three events that held prelims for finals to be run on Saturday and ACU put three athletes into the finals – Vincent Luffey in the 1500, Chianel Asoburuenwu in the 200 (with freshman Kee'Lani Whitlock only missing the finals by a scant .08 of a second), and Ryan McMeen running the fastest time in the men's 400 hurdles prelims.

On Friday, ACU will have athletes in most of the events. Canaan Fairley will compete in the second day of the decathlon, with Natalie Poe, Nele Huth, and Skyla Riedel in the heptathlon.

Other events which will include Wildcats include:

Women's long jump – Halle Gunter
Men's long jump – Horatio Brooks, Arthur Jenkins
Women's shot put – Mariana Van Dyk, Ciara Tilley, Sterling Glenn
Women's 100 hurdles (prelims) – Hana Banks
Men's 110 hurdles (prelims) – Miguel Hall
Women's 800 (prelims) – Anna Vyn
Men's 800 (prelims) – Vincent Luffey, Evan Martin
Women's 100 (prelims) – Chianel Asoburuenwu, Kee'Lani Whitlock, Lauren Foxworth, Darinasia Taylor, Neriah Williams
Men's 100 (prelims) – Abraham Olufemi-Dada
Women's 400 (prelims) – Emma Santoro, Madelyn McFadden, Morgan Morris, Gracee Whiteaker
Men's 400 (prelims) – Nickens Lemba
Women's steeplechase – Saylor Stevenson, Audrey Chitwood
Men's steeplechase – Mark Barajas

On Friday the men's decathlon starts at 9 a.m. with the 110 hurdles and the women's heptathlon at 9:15 with the long jump. Field events get underway at 11 a.m. with the long jump. Running commences at 4:10 p.m. at Maverick Stadium on the UTA campus starting with the women's 100 hurdles.